


Stories in the Sand

by Fable



Series: Merlin [9]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Sea, Sex, Storytelling, sand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2013-07-02
Packaged: 2017-12-16 21:35:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/866869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fable/pseuds/Fable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin’s been missing for two days; Arthur finds him… and a whole lot more.<br/>A tale of storytelling, surprises, sun, sand, sea and the other…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stories in the Sand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chaosmaka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosmaka/gifts).



> For chaosmaka to remind her of her holiday and her collarbone and neck kink!

The afternoon was hot as pepper’d brandy as Arthur, in full armour, crawled on elbows and knees through the dunes. The chill breeze from the Meredor Sea did little to curb the heat. The hot sand was grinding underneath his chainmail and gathering in large deposits in the waistband of his breeches, it was in fact very slowly grating away his skin.

   He came to an abrupt stop and held his hand up flat, indicating to the following knights to halt. This however was unseen by Sir Gwaine who ploughed unceremoniously into Arthur’s rear.

   ‘Gwaine…’ Arthur hissed.

   Gwaine’s face came over all puppy-eyed ‘Sorry’ he offered.

   Without a word Arthur signalled for Gwaine and Percival to crawl beside him. Squinting in the bright sunlight their adjusting eyes finally made out the scene below them.

   The seas of Meredor stretched out as far as they could see, the water was the colour of rotten artichokes as it reached up onto the ecru sands in the bay. The Isle of the Blessed a shimmering image on the horizon and high above on an exposed granite outcrop sat the derelict Castle of Fyrien; its dark presence loomed over the beach and cast a long shadow. The knight’s searching eyes found what they had come for…

   …Merlin.

   Merlin had been on an errand for Gaius, he’d been asked to gather rare seaweed to help relieve the old physician’s arthritis. That was two days ago…

   Stripped to the waist and bootless, his back was pushed into a tall wooden post and his hands were tied above his head. From his viewpoint Arthur could just see large ugly bruises beginning to florid on his pale narrow torso. Surrounding Merlin were three human shapes, their flowing robes were exactly the same colour as the sand, deep cowls covered their heads and scarves obscured their mouths. They stood eerily still, doing a good job of resembling sand statues.

   ‘Odin’s hired Sandmen.’ Arthur spat as he rose off the sand with fury etched into his fine features ‘I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them all.’

   Gwaine pushed him down, he had always been open about his fondness for Merlin, he growled through gritted teeth ‘Wait, we’ll kill ‘em together.’

   ‘What do they want with Merlin?’ Percival adjusted his weight on the shifting sand.

   ‘I’m guessing information, about me and Camelot.’

   ‘Do you think they got it?’

   ‘Merlin would never betray me or Camelot.’ There was softness to Arthur’s voice, a low purr at the back of his throat. He paused, his mind momentarily drifting…

   …‘ _NOW_ ’ the three knights scrabbled on the soft surface, their feet desperate to get enough purchase to propel their bodies down the dunes towards Odin’s unsuspecting Sandmen.

   ‘One each, on me…’ Arthur barked.

   In the stifling heat they attacked, swords wielding and voices yelling. The Sandmen, in one smooth movement produced, not swords, but cutlasses from beneath their robes.

   ‘Cutlasses… what the _hell_?’ Percival shouted above the ensuing fight.

   Arthur shrugged. The afternoon sun glinted off his spinning blade as his feet pirouetted on the sand. The air was filled with the sounds of battle. A _schhwaff_ hum in the air as the blades swung. The sharp ring as metal struck metal. Grunting sounds from men exerting against men.

   But cutlasses or no cutlasses, they were no match for the Knights of Camelot and one by one the sandy men fell.

   Silence.

   ‘Merlin…’ Arthur dropped his sword; it planted upright in the soft sand, and moved over to his servant.

   ‘You took your time.’ Merlin’s head was hung against his bare chest, his blue eyes viewing Arthur from under his raven fringe.

   ‘Well, you know… other priorities.’ Joke it may have been but Arthur’s words were gentle ‘Are you ok?’

   ‘Yes.’ A simple word and the space between them needed no other.

   Arthur stood in front of Merlin and reached up to untie his hands, for a moment they mirrored each other’s bodies, face to face. Arthur’s heart skipped, unannounced and unexpected. He brought his hands down, and as he did so he lightly fingered the undulations of Merlin’s ribs. He felt Merlin tremble under his touch. He took a step away.

   ‘Do they hurt?’ he tipped his head towards the blooms of red and purple on Merlin’s body.

   ‘Not so much, I’ll be fine. Thank you Arthur.’

   Arthur ruffled his hair ‘Come on, we’ll camp here tonight.’

***

   The sun was beginning its slow descent into the horizon; the sky was on the cusp from clear baby blue to fuchsia with frothy trails of vanilla clouds. Merlin had lit a fire and was cooking fish, which Percival had expertly caught, on sticks over the flames and Balm cakes, from his own supplies, were baking on hot stones in the embers. The air was filled with the aromatic smells of burning driftwood, sea salt and roasting fish.

   The knights had shunned their armour and were now in thin tunics and barefoot, they sipped from glass phials containing velvety honey liquor, which were actually for medicinal purposes but had been raided from Merlin’s physicians’ bag. Arthur was beginning to feel quite ‘marinated.’

   He ran his toes through the warm sand and gave a contented murmur ‘You found a good spot to need rescuing from Merlin…’ He accepted the offer of hot fish and bread, one hand took the meal while the other came up to encompass Merlin’s fingers. A delicious quiver vibrated up Arthur’s arm, _Good God_ Arthur _loved_ it when Merlin quivered under his touch.

   Merlin leaned in and whispered ‘Glad you like it _My Lord_.’

   And Arthur _loved_ it when Merlin addressed him properly, something he rarely did, but he had a suspicion that Merlin knew that.

   The four of them sat in a line eating in silence and listening to the gentle _schlip_ of the sea as it reached its foamy fingers up onto the shore.

   ‘You know Merlin; you really should bathe those wounds.’ Percival placed his large hands behind his head and settled back into the sand.

   ‘Um… yes I will’ Merlin’s was distracted as he began to pile sand into mounds in front of him, using his long bony fingers he formed and patted the piles into tower shapes and bastions, as he worked the distinct shape and form of Camelot rose from the sand.

   ‘Sandcastles Merlin… really?’ Arthur jibed.

   ‘Not a sandcastle Arthur a sand-Camelot.’ Merlin seemed quite pleased with himself as he placed small pebbles to represent windows. Using his hands like a spade he dug a moat all the way around his creation and then placed a piece of driftwood as the drawbridge.

   ‘This is where sandy King Arthur and his sandy servant Merlin live’ he grinned as he pointed to the inner courtyard of sand-Camelot.

   ‘Really… do tell us more…’ Arthur lay back on the sand as the sun began to melt into the horizon turning the sky dark blue and purple with gold slivers of clouds.

   ‘Once upon a time…’

   ‘Really?’

   ‘Shut up…’

   ‘Once upon a time there lived a handsome King and his even handsomer servant…’ Merlin winked at Arthur and formed two tiny pairs of legs from his first two fingers; he proceeded to walk theses ‘legs’ through the sandy-Camelot. ‘One day an evil one-eyed monster came to Camelot and tried to destroy the Citadel and eat the people, the brave King and his brave Knights fought valiantly but they were no match for the power of the monster, one by one the monster either ate the knights or knocked them out…’

   ‘I hope I’m not eaten’ Percival interjected.

   Merlin ignored him ‘… the mighty King of Camelot was caught by a giant swishing tail and knocked clean out. Enter the fearless servant Merlin…’ Merlin placed two fingers over his other two fingers ‘…he used his body to shield the King as he fought tirelessly with broken lance…’ Merlin swished his thumb around.

   ‘Merlin really…’ Arthur rolled his eyes.

   ‘Shut up.’

   ‘The humble servant defeated the monster and saved the King and all of Camelot… Hurray.’ Merlin made his fingers do a bow. ‘The King asked what reward he wanted for his bravery.’ Merlin gave Arthur a sideways glance. ‘He asked for nothing more than a kiss from the King of Camelot…’

   Gwaine and Percival roared with laughter, slapped Merlin on the back and told him he should be the King’s personal bard. Arthur smiled despite himself. A large summer’s moon was starting to rise in a clear pin-pricked sky. Gwaine and Percival stood up and brushed sand off their breeches.

   ‘Well… goodnight folks’ Gwaine said.

   ‘Where are you going?’ Arthur and Merlin said as one.

   The two knights exchanged glances. ‘We thought we’d… em… _bed down_ … em further down the beach…’ Gwaine stuttered through the sentence.

   ‘Yup’ was all Percival could add. And with no further a-do they turned and headed off into the moonlit night.

   Ignoring the whys and wherefores of the two Knights, Arthur turned to Merlin ‘Come on lets bathe those wounds.’ He stood, stripped off his tunic and held out a hand to Merlin. Merlin took it and was raised to stand in the King’s personal space. Arthur let his gaze linger just that little bit too long on Merlin’s face before fingering the hem of his tunic and lifting it over his head. He knotted his fingers with Merlin’s and led him to the shoreline.

   The sea had turned the colour of black olives as they let their toes play in the warm water at the very edge. There was fizzing and popping in the air between the two men, something unspoken was hanging there.

   ‘Breeches’ Arthur tipped his head towards Merlin’s trousers. Merlin fingers were uncoordinated as he fumbled with the laces.

   ‘Here…’ Arthur reached over and pulled at the cords. The breeches dropped. He then dropped his own breeches and led Merlin into the balmy waters.

   The sea was as smooth as the surface of Merlin’s pebble windows as they stood waist deep, Arthur ran his fingers over Merlin’s yellowing bruises, tracing the edges, he used hardly any pressure but it was enough to make Merlin shudder.

   ‘I l _ove_ it when you respond to the lightest of touches’ Arthur murmured.

   ‘Only your touch Arthur.’ The moonlight placed blue highlights into Merlin’s raven hair as laid his own hand over Arthur’s.

   ‘So do you want your reward?’

   ‘Reward?’

   ‘Yes, for saving me from the monster.’ Arthur leaned in and slipped an open palm into the hollow of Merlin’s back. He drew him in. He felt Merlin shiver and he could feel he was aroused. He took a moment to soak him up – moon reflecting hair, interesting ears, blue _blue_ eyes, sharp cheekbones and soft open mouth – a mouth that was begging to be taken.

   Arthur grazed his lips onto Merlin’s and, like his hunger had been finally slated, pressed into him with greed. Merlin rocked, urging his hips into Arthur’s, circling, and rocking some more. Arthur purred and reciprocated with even pressure then traced his tongue along Merlin’s lips for just for a second before pushing them apart and forced it deep inside, searching and probing. Merlin let out a long moan into Arthur’s mouth; it was Arthur’s turn to shudder.

   Merlin’s heart was beating wildly in his chest; Arthur knew this because they were pushed so close together he could feel the tremors on his own. They pulled apart, but only enough to let Arthur run his thumb pad across Merlin’s lips, he then dipped his thumb into his mouth. Merlin closed around the digit and sucked hard. Arthur took a sharp intake of breath. He worked his way up and down, all the while maintaining eye contact, his blue eyes bore into Arthur’s blue eyes…

   ‘Merlin’ Arthur whispered ‘tip your head back.’

   Merlin obliged, tipping his head back to expose his long slender neck. Arthur placed little kissnips under his jawline and then moved down his neck and onto his fine collarbones. He knew they would welt for sure in the morning, he was marking him and Merlin knew he was. The dark water circled around them and lapped up their bodies. It felt like it was playing a game, how far could it reach. Arthur had completely forgotten they were in the sea; the only thing his senses knew was Merlin.

   ‘Here…’ he palmed salt water onto Merlin’s bruises in gentle circles.

   ‘Arthur… I…’ Merlin’s words were barely a murmur as shivered under the strokes. He slipped one hand around Arthur’s neck to steady himself in the turning tide.

   ‘Come on’ Arthur ran his wet hand affectionately through Merlin’s hair so it stood up in shiny black spikes and they turned towards the shore, as their toes hit the cool wet sand he pulled him down. The moonlight danced silver-blue shadows on their glistening skin and a gentle sea breeze blew it into goose bumps. Tiny waves licked their feet as they entwined their limbs. Merlin pushed his mouth onto Arthur’s as he drifted his hands down his torso, pressing his fingers into every crease of his muscles and tracing his battle scars.

   Urgency came to their movements as their gentle rocking together became thrusts, coarse sand ground into their wet bodies with every push. Merlin arched his back and let out a cry. A cry from pain or a cry in desire Arthur could not discern.

   Arthur fingers walked down Merlin’s body and took him in hand, a firm grip. Merlin rotated and pushed desperately into his hold.  Arthur took hold of himself…

   ‘No… Arthur, let me.’ Merlin mumbled into Arthur’s neck and moved his hand down Arthur’s body.

   ‘No Merlin, I want to...’

   Merlin wrapped long arms around Arthur’s neck and hung on. Arthur moved slowly at first then gradually built a strong rhythm, digging his feet into the sand and using his hips to force extra pressure into his hands.

   Merlin cried out his name, an elongated pitiful word. It hung in the space between them and Arthur tasted it. It tasted _so_ delicious.

   When Merlin was at the very brink, at the very precipice between reality and unreality Arthur stopped and revelled in the ecstasy and agony that was burnt onto Merlin’s moonlit face.

   ‘You’re wicked Arthur Pendragon… now!’ Merlin pleaded.

   Arthur remained fixed on Merlin’s face as he broke him, broke him into tiny pieces. He then broke himself into a million more. They shuddered into each other and Merlin held on until the last whimper escaped his lips.

   A long moment passed as they lay entwined and spent on the warm sand. The sea was reaching up their legs as Merlin leaned in and kissed his King ‘thank you for rescuing me.’

   ‘That’s ok you rescued me from a one-eyed monster remember’ Arthur’s words were tired and sleepy.

   ‘Yes, I suppose I did, come on’ Merlin dragged Arthur to his feet ‘hey we look like sandy Arthur and Merlin from my story’ he laughed as he tried to brush the stubborn sand off his body.

   They curled up under Arthur’s cloak, still naked with a fine coating of dry sand. Lethargy crept up on them and heaviness seized their limbs, one by one the stars went out and sleep took them. Arthur dreamt of a sandy-Camelot, monsters and his brave and sexy servant.

***

   With his limbs wrapped around Merlin’s and his head buried under the crimson fabric, Arthur awoke to muffled sounds, he strained his ears.

   ‘My _Lord_?’ A polite voice followed by an even politer cough.

   Arthur poked his head out, Gwaine and Percival were stood over the naked cloak wrapped men with the biggest smirks on their faces. They were dressed, in full armour, making Arthur feel more than a little exposed.

   ‘Erm… yes… err…’ was all Arthur could manage as Merlin also poked his head above the fabric.

   ‘If you two have finished?... We should be going.’ Gwaine’s words were muffled as he’d jammed his hand over his mouth, presumably in an effort to stop a threatening laugh.

 

***

**_Epilogue_ **

_‘Why didn’t you use your magic Merlin to defeat the Sandmen?’ Gaius asked while he tended to Merlin’s blooming bruises._

_‘The Sandmen had some kind of magic Gaius; it reduced my powers to nothing more than been able to light a candle’ Merlin winced; Gaius was not as gentle as Arthur._

_‘I’m sorry you suffered.’_

_‘Oh believe me Gaius, my time on the beach of Meredor was not suffering.’ A pink stain painted Merlin’s cheeks._

_‘Oh and Merlin… where are these welts on your neck and collarbone from?’_

_Merlin’s pink blush turned deep scarlet and he was saved from answering by a pretty dark haired serving maid entering Gaius’ chamber’s and placing a basket onto his table ‘your sheets Sir’ she said and smiled shyly at Merlin. Merlin gave her a warm smile back. The girl dropped her head and giggled._

_‘Thank you Sabrina that will be all.’ Gaius raised his eyebrow at her._

_Sabrina mindlessly twiddled a stray piece of hair and gaped at Merlin from under her dark fringe._

_‘That will be all Sabrina…’_

_The girl turned flustered._

_‘I think you may have a fan Merlin.’_


End file.
